--- title: "How to Choose a Therapist in Tampa | Psi Wellness" url: https://psiwellnessinc.com/choosing-a-therapist description: "A plain guide to choosing a therapist in Tampa or online in Florida: licensing, approach, fit, practical details and the questions worth asking first." lang: en --- Choosing a Therapist # How to choose a therapist who fits Choosing a therapist can feel like a big decision made with very little information. A few practical checks make it easier: the license, the approach, the logistics, and how a first conversation feels. Here is a plain guide, whoever you end up working with. Tampa office + Telehealth across Florida Book a Session: https://jason.mytheranest.com/appointments/new ## At a glance - Who it helps Anyone in Florida looking for a therapist - Format In person in Tampa and secure telehealth across Florida - Location Tampa, 400 N Ashley Dr, Ste 1900 - Approach Practical, honest, and free of pressure ## Start with the license A license tells you a therapist has met the state's requirements to practice and answers to a licensing board. In Florida, you can look up a license with the Florida Department of Health and confirm that it is active. It takes a minute and it is a reasonable thing to check before you book with anyone. Different licenses come with different training and scope. A Licensed Mental Health Counselor, or LMHC, provides counseling and psychotherapy. My Florida LMHC license is verified active with the Florida Department of Health, and I am also a National Certified Counselor. If the letters after a name are confusing, what LMHC and NCC mean (https://psiwellnessinc.com/what-is-an-lmhc) explains them in plain terms, and the about page (https://psiwellnessinc.com/about) covers my background. ## Look at the approach Therapists work in different ways, and it helps to know the broad strokes before you start. Some approaches are structured and skills based. Others are more open ended and exploratory. Neither is better in general. What matters is whether the style suits you and what you want help with. Here, the work usually starts from solution focused therapy and draws on three other approaches where they help, and how I work (https://psiwellnessinc.com/how-i-work) describes the mix in more detail: - **Solution focused:** Starts with where you want to get to and what is already working. See solution focused therapy (https://psiwellnessinc.com/solution-focused-therapy). - **CBT:** Looks at the thoughts and behaviors that keep a difficulty in place. See CBT (https://psiwellnessinc.com/cbt). - **ACT:** Makes room for hard feelings while you act on what matters. See ACT (https://psiwellnessinc.com/act). - **DBT skills:** Practical tools for intense emotion, distress and relationships. See DBT (https://psiwellnessinc.com/dbt). The right therapist is not the most impressive one on paper. It is the one you can be honest with. ## Notice how it feels Approach matters, but so does the relationship. After a first conversation, ask yourself a few simple questions. Did you feel listened to rather than rushed? Did the therapist explain how they work in a way that made sense? Could you picture telling this person something difficult? You do not need instant chemistry, but you should come away feeling that the two of you could work together. That is what the free 15-minute consultation (https://psiwellnessinc.com/free-consultation) is for. It is a short, no-obligation conversation, and it works in both directions: you are checking the fit as much as the therapist is. A free 15-minute consultation is the simplest place to start. No commitment, just a short conversation about what you are looking for. Book a Session (https://jason.mytheranest.com/appointments/new) ## Check the practical details The best fit on paper will not help if you cannot get to sessions. Think about location, schedule and format. Psi Wellness sees people in person at 400 N. Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa and by telehealth (https://psiwellnessinc.com/telehealth-therapy-florida) anywhere in Florida, with office hours that include Wednesday evenings and Saturdays. Cost matters too. Fees and the in-network plan list are on the rates page (https://psiwellnessinc.com/rates). If your plan is not listed, ask anyway. ## Questions worth asking any therapist Whoever you contact, a short list of questions can make a first call more useful: - Are you licensed in Florida, and what type of license do you hold? - How do you usually work, and what would a typical session look like? - How will we know whether therapy is helping? - Do you offer telehealth, in person sessions, or both? - What are your fees, and do you work with my insurance? ## Common questions ### Is it okay to switch therapists? Yes. Fit matters, and it is normal to try a different therapist if the first one does not feel right after a few sessions. Saying so directly is a reasonable part of finding the right match. ### How many therapists should I talk to before choosing? There is no set number. Some people book with the first therapist who feels right, and others talk with two or three. A short consultation call makes it easy to compare without committing to anything. ### Should I choose online or in person therapy? Choose whatever makes it easiest to keep showing up. Video removes travel time, while a room away from home can make it easier to focus. At Psi Wellness you can start one way and switch later. ### What if I need help right now? If you are in immediate danger, call 911, or call or text 988. Choosing a therapist can wait until you are safe, and the crisis resources (https://psiwellnessinc.com/crisis-resources) page lists more urgent help lines. How the work goes ## If you decide to start here. 1. 01 ### Consultation We begin with a free 15 minute consultation to talk through what brings you in and whether we are a good fit. 2. 02 ### A plan that fits you If it feels like a fit, we book a first session and talk through what you want to work on. 3. 03 ### Steady progress From there we meet at a steady pace, notice what is helping, and adjust the plan as life changes. ## Related - About Jason Background and credentials. https://psiwellnessinc.com/about - How I Work The approach behind the sessions. https://psiwellnessinc.com/how-i-work - Free Consultation A no-pressure way to check the fit. https://psiwellnessinc.com/free-consultation ## Begin when you're ready. Reach out and we will find a time that works. Sessions are available at the Tampa office or by telehealth. Voice Assistant Powered by IMGNI: https://imgnilabs.com/ Hold the button for 2 seconds to start talking, or tap once. Connecting… ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalBusiness", "@id": "https://psiwellnessinc.com/#practice", "name": "Psi Wellness Inc.", "url": "https://psiwellnessinc.com/", "telephone": "+1-217-417-2073", "email": "admin@psiwellnessinc.com", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "400 N. Ashley Drive, Suite 1900", "addressLocality": "Tampa", "addressRegion": "FL", "postalCode": "33602", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": { "@type": "State", "name": "Florida" }, "availableLanguage": "English", "medicalSpecialty": "Psychiatric", "serviceType": [ "ADHD therapy", "Anxiety therapy", "Depression therapy", "Trauma and PTSD therapy", "OCD therapy", "Bipolar support counseling", "Grief and loss counseling", "Stress and burnout counseling", "Addiction counseling", "Individual therapy", "Couples therapy", "Family therapy", "Teen therapy", "LGBTQ+ affirming therapy", "Telehealth therapy" ], "openingHoursSpecification": [ { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": "Tuesday", "opens": "09:00", "closes": "17:00" }, { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": "Wednesday", "opens": "15:00", "closes": "21:00" }, { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": "Thursday", "opens": "09:00", "closes": "17:00" }, { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": "Friday", "opens": "09:00", "closes": "17:00" }, { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": "Saturday", "opens": "10:00", "closes": "16:00" } ], "employee": { "@id": "https://psiwellnessinc.com/#jason-versace" }, "provider": { "@id": "https://psiwellnessinc.com/#jason-versace" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://psiwellnessinc.com/#jason-versace", "name": "Jason Versace", "honorificSuffix": "LMHC, NCC", "jobTitle": "Licensed Mental Health Counselor", "telephone": "+1-217-417-2073", "email": "admin@psiwellnessinc.com", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "400 N. Ashley Drive, Suite 1900", "addressLocality": "Tampa", "addressRegion": "FL", "postalCode": "33602", "addressCountry": "US" }, "worksFor": { "@id": "https://psiwellnessinc.com/#practice" }, "sameAs": [ "https://jason.mytheranest.com/appointments/new", "https://care.headway.co/providers/jason-versace" ], "hasCredential": [ { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "license", "name": "Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)" }, { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "certification", "name": "National Certified Counselor (NCC)" } ] } ] ```